Good piece, JC. When hiring a head coach I think the coach's ability to develop, nurture and motivate the players he has should be at least as important as his ability to recruit. Jonathan Smith is a case study. He generally doesn't get the players most highly regarded by the recruiting rankings. But he turns the ones he gets into good college football players. And he is a good strategist on game day. You can say the same about Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.
Great board and a great group of committed readers who for, by far, the most part are able to disagree without being disagreeable which, in general, is a lost art in these days.
Yes. Smith is constantly underrated, sadly by local press as much as national. Just because he isn't a rah- rah guy racing up and down the sidelines all game long, don't ever count him out.
Perhaps I am engaging in semantic hair-splitting, but ...
Yes, Smith has been praised for turning the program around. Yet there still is an undertone of surprise when the Beavers beat a tough opponent. Much of the reporting I read about yesterday's game was of the "OSU didn't win, UO lost" variety (thanks John for noting the outcome was the result of a joint effort). If Smith and OSU were highly rated in the eyes of reporters, the outcome shouldn't be a surprise, should it?
And I admit I am a typical Beaver fan who gets tired of the Ducks always sucking all the air out of the room, so take that into account.
I had the same feeling when I heard the news. The funny thing is he seems to be following a similar pattern of recruiting that Rich Brooks (in his latter years as coach at Oregon) and Mike Bellotti used. Find some hungry 3 star guys and a few 4 stars and coach them. It didn't always lead to the best character selections but they did have success. Back then any bowl game was cause for celebration.
On the money, Ken. Lanning is making stupid stupid school boy decisions with his schoolboy Ego, instead of following standard play calling protocol BASED on long time experience . Will he learn to curb his Ego ? Remains to be seen , but if not, he will continue to cause much stress among players and Alumni !
Am sure that Phil K will not put up with an ego driven school boy Head Coach !!!!
Sorry Ken but with the transfer portal getting a recruit and developing him is a thing of the past. Top programs will be getting the playmakers from the Portal like USC did. 19 in all. The college game of 2019 is gone colleges are now what I would call semi pro and unless a school does that they will be also tans
Excellent point! Those who read the comments here know I am a huge Smith fan and always have been since his playing days. I think very few head coaches in Div 1 have his personal qualities. From my 60 year personal observation of football, the best coaches look exactly like Smith. No amount of money can offset those personal qualities, though it will take money at OSU for Smith to reach his potential and make the Beavers a perennial power program. Kids don't seem to pick schools for the academics anymore and probably haven't for decades. But with the portal and the NIL, Div 1 football has become a profession and money will be required to recruit and keep top quality players. With the proper resources, like the Ducks seem to always have (the Knight Effect), Smith will field teams as good as or better than what the Ducks can deliver. The time of state athletic parity is near. And we will continue to watch Ducks cry.
Beavers lost three pac-12 games this year, and the Ducks 2. Utah man-handled the Beavs in Utah, and the Ducks beat Utah at Autzen. Parity? Reser allegedly has a 36,000 seat capacity
for 2023. Autzen has held 60,000 for just 19 years, since their remodel in 2003. Duck facilities for football are second to none, including the NFL. Matt Knight arena for concerts and basketball is a beautiful facility in Eugene. Gill Coliseum has seen better days, and last year the mens bb team at OSU came out on top just three times, and constantly tinkled on themselves. The top rated track and field facility in the entire universe., is located on the U of O campus, directly across from the Knight School of Law. It holds 20,000 and recently held the first ever outdoor championships for track and field. Duck track and field teams for men and ladies, every year, choose from the best high school atheletes in all of U.S. Last I checked, the four- lane dirt track scheduled to be built around the football field at Reser,
has been scrapped. Beavers do not like dirt, and are very tired of being trained to run in circles. So, this means the next time the track and field teams at OSU, try and find a facility to train at, they will have to revert to the research farms located off campus in Corvallis. Stop crying Beavers, as Phil Knight has donated lots to your athletic programs. Your uniforms are made by Nike, and in your sorrow, please read SHOE DOCTOR, by Uncle Phil, written in the first person. A great read, and very nice to experience. GO DUCKS
LOL...I have to laugh at posts like that. I like the enthusiasm, but come on. One win over Oregon, and in OSU fan's minds it's the beginning of a Dynasty. OSU has Beaten Oregon 7 times in the last TWO DECADES! and only 5 times in the prior two DECADES that's 12 wins over Oregon in 40 years....And yet after every OSU win we hear the same old garbage like Mr. McMorris is tossing out. Make a habit out of winning, and then you MAY have a point.
Gloat if you like. OSU did not have an Admin that cared for sports for 30 years (1970s to 2000). It was not until Scott Barnes came on board with a mandate from major contributing alums, to get a football program that was competitive, that it was an even battle. Even then, there were mistakes, like the hiring of Gary Anderson. The 30 years before Mike Riley's first stint was a parade of clowns for head coaches and ADs who could not (or were not allowed) to compete. Craig Fertig? Joe Avezzano? David Kragthorpe? Jerry Pettibone? One disaster after another (and before Phil Knight and his demand of the U of O Admin to get with it, so were the Oregon HCs and ADs). What is obvious since 2017 is the OSU Admin got the message. They are spending money and hired Jonathan Smith who will be with OSU a very long time. Who knows about Dan Lanning. Four years, if lucky. One thing we know about college football is Money Talks.
I was mad at Lanning too. Last night. I don’t know too many Duck fans who weren’t mad. About something. Anything. The 4th and 1 give to Nix was one of my peeves. Sunday brings calmer nerves. I certainly hope no one is seriously considering firing Dan Lanning. I see great potential in him. I like him. Let cooler heads prevail. Do what OSU did yesterday. Never give up. Never give in. Get back up and continue the good fight!
good post and I think not enough credit is being given to the Beavers. Yes there were horrible decisions by Oregon coaching staff, but Oregon State is a very good football team. Looking at their schedule Fresno State and Boise State are top of their leagues and receiving top 25 votes. We narrowly lost to USC and Washington. Oregon State could easily be 11-1 had OUR coaching staff made better decisions.
I do think ORegon lost their cool yesterday. Also, seeing their sideline during the Beaver rally they were just standing there. There was no energy. They were done and they seemed to understand that.
Why can't Duck fans and the media acknowledge how good Oregon State is?!!! It really torques me, to be honest. This team has the best D in the Pac 12 and the rushing D is #13 in the country. Martinez is one of the best backs in the country by stats and is matching some of Stephen Jackson's all time records. Jackson was an NFL All Pro. The receivers are not very tall but they are fast and have also done well when given the chance. The Beavers could easily have won the USC and Washington game and would be 11-1 right now, tying their all time record for wins. This is a very good team built of 2s and 3s, the recruiting "everymen". The top 10 programs are stuffed with 4s and 5s which means more physically gifted, but not necessarily more determined. Jonathan Smith gets more out of his player talent than any other HC in Div 1. Hard to prove statistically, but with a lot of anecdotal evidence.
Hey John: You rated Utah as having the best home field advantage in the Pac-12. You put 25,000 seat Reser as second. You did not mention Autzen in your expert opinion. I have not been to a game in Utah but have been to Reser many times. I have seen the Ducks at home in Autzen for most of their home games since it
opened in 1969. Notre Dame came there in 1982 and it ended in a tie, . Michigan lost there too, and the result had a Sports Illustrated cover that read "rich, cool, and 4-0 " I saw Kenny;s interception in 1994 that beat the Monsters from Montlake, aka the puppies from Seattle. I cheered at Chip Kelly's huge victory over the Beavs to go to the Roses.. I remember a back from the Cougars , Reuben Mayes, rush for only 250 plus yards against Rich Brooks in 1984. In 1979 the Ducks outplayed Don James all day, only to lose on a punt return near the end of the game. Terry Obee, on fourth and goal from the Husky one yard line did an end around run so I could finally see the Huskies lose in Autzen in the late 1980s. James only lost 3 of the 24 times he played Oregon. Now, there is a Husky Free Zone in Oregon. The Monsters from Montlake are allegedly back, but not for sure. They sell alcohol, starting last year at Husky Stadium. The beer is ice cold in 2021 as Jimmy Lake and the puppies lost at home to my Ducks. First time I claimed victory in Seattle! I return in 2023 to Husky Stadium for my revenge. Ditto to Autzen in 2023 to see the Beavs lose. Go Ducks, and thank God a true good head coach is running the ship in Eugene. Best year for the Beavs in forever this season; not having a kicker or a good signal caller has them back to being an average team in 2023. Call them the one-hit smash mouth giant killers! Ducks still rule the pacific-12 in football again, and they have the best over-all record of any team in the league for the last 10 or so years. Exactly, please, name the number of times the baby Beavs of Corvallis have ever been on top of the conference in football.? Maybe it happened in 2000 as coach Smith beat Notre Dame in the Fiesta super bowl! Dennis Erickson in Benton County. as best coach since Dee Andros the mighty Beavs have had. GO DUCKS.
Wow, you’re living in the past, and that’s why Duck fan has no grip on reality! Give respect to your opponent whether you win or lose, because a lack of respect is all the motivation an underdog needs! Instead of bashing on teams that beat you, look within, accept blame, and learn patience. After billions from Uncle Phil to upgrade facilities, hire recruiters etc, Oregon has become a revolving door for coaches in wait of their dream job elsewhere. Why Justin Wilcox is not in Eugene baffles me, though I will take half the recruiting fee and bet he would exceed realistic goals and expectations.
Pop Quiz, “How many National Titles has the U of O won? There is a reason why the U of O makes every fan recite this answer at every game, “Yell-0”!
If I was living in the past I would be sitting in Autzen in the rain behind 34-0 to UCLA in the second quarter(late 1970s) I have been a strong Duck fan and supporter for just 60 years. We used to go 2-9 or 3-8 every year. I hung in there with Rich Brooks,'have met this quality man more than once, and I liked Mike Belotti and the Chipster too! I do give respect to my opponent, and I have learned to shake hands after every game, win or lose. Justin Wilcox can stay in Berkeley; he is a poor coach. I knew slick Willy and sun-super Mario were the wrong guy before they ever coached one game in Eugene. When I voiced this publily on facebook, everybody bashed me and said I did not know football. So glad these two are back in Florida. The SEC and Big-10 still rule college football. Our new coach, Dan Lanning, came from Georgia, where his defense won the natty last year. Georgia will repeat, as defense wins championships. Lanning has taken the heat for the two losses to UW and OSU., and admitted he made mistakes. I pray he stays in Eugene, and I feel he will. Bo Nix may not be back next year, but we will be fine. Chip got us to the final four, and we will be back. Read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight; well written and a best-seller. Dump Trump 2024 and GO DUCKS! YELLOW AND GREEN make a mean machine!
Hi Donnie. I enjoy reading your posts but you've got to stop living in the past, although I can understand you wanting to as glorious the past 20 years have been for our good friends in Eugene.
What are your comments about DJ Johnson and his punching a fan while the fan was not looking. Will Lanning suspend him for the bowl game?
Chip: I do not live in the past at all. I sat in the rain at Autzen for 15 or so years and watched them go 2-9, or maybe 3-8. Loved Rich Brooks and Mike Belotti too. Never gave up on my Ducks, and never will. I am very happy with Lanning, and we will be fine. Thanks to the Knights, Oregon has the best facilities for football of anyone, anywhere, including the NFL. I am so glad slick Willy Taggart and sub-super Mario Cristobal went back to Florida. where they belong. Would love to see Bo Nix stay in Eugene for one more year and get the revenge I seek: beat Huskies and Beavs next year. Know nothing about DJ Johnson and did not see it. I like reading what you write too, Chip!
Still crying....I know it hurts to lose to OSU. You will get used to the pain as your baseball players have. Your Duck friends did in the 1970s and 80s before Knight started showering U of O with money. Phil's money is not forever. Get used to the idea of sharing the spotlight in the state with the Beavers.
what is really interesting is that the position we are most lacking in is the quarterback position, and you would think that given Smith's background that would have been taken care of by now. After what I saw from Gulbranson during the Civil War, I feel we do need to go with the Portal I just don't see any other options. Not trying to be cute but Nolan had his chance.
Honestly, if you follow 247 or Rivals, the team is built around 3 stars, there are no 2s, except for the JC transfers, who are all automatically assigned "2 stars"....
Brian McMorris said; "Why can't Duck fans and the media acknowledge how good Oregon State is? Why should we? We aren't OSU fans...If you want the Beavers to get praise, give them some. We have our own program to cheer for...or not. I'm sure every year you have a soap box ready when Oregon beats OSU, so you can step up and loudly proclaim the awesomeness of the University or Oregon football team...{{{NOT}}}. Wow the inferiority complex runs Deep in Corvallis.
Brian has a good reply below. Grant's dad - I don't think you are being asked to cheer for OSU. I think he is asking why you can't acknowledge the obvious, that this year the Beavers are better than the Ducks. That comeback was a masterpiece, what wrong with simply saying, wow, we got beat, that's a good team over there. Sheesh.
McMorris (if you read his posts in this thread) Is DYING for OSU recognition. Well it's not our job to do so. If they want recognition, win consistently and they will get that from fans and media. Oregon has received plenty of recognition since 1990. WHY??? Because they turned the program around and started winning CONSISTENTLY. OSU had their best season in 2000-2001 under Dennis Erickson. But what happened since??? Answer...not much
Well, you would be pretty wrong. I always sing the praise of the U of O, EXCEPT when they play OSU. Being from the mid-Valley, I have a lot of friends who went to U of O. I am for the state, not against Eugene. I have no inferiority complex. There is no denying that money matters in Div 1 sports and the Ducks get a lot of money from Phil Knight and friends. I have been badgering OSU leadership to do something about the disparity. Until the last few years (2000), they did not care. Now there is an awakening at OSU for the value of solid sports programs and they are building the program, though could always use more money to make it bigger and better. But it is ridiculous when Duck fans disparage the Beavers successes and want to deny them any in the future (praying for Smith to be lured away to another school). It is comical. It is the Ducks who have a complex, worrying about when the Knight money dries up and that OSU might pull ahead in high profile sports as they already are in non-income sports like baseball, gymnastics, wrestling and soccer.
Are we missing something here? The game had shades of Cristobal's impending departure last year. KD made some "distracted" decisions like going for it on 4th and 13 on his own 29 as if to say "I'm outa here so I'll go out with a bang if this work. If it doesn't, no loss to me."
OSU hired an OSU guy who is very content to be at OSU. Oregon expects more so goes for high profile hires--then loses them after a year or two if they do well.
I'm sick of today's coaching attitude of get whatever is good for me whenever it pleases me. How do you teach a 19 year-old that loyalty, integrity and determination is important when you betray those very things by jumping at the first opportunity to "get more for me"? Maybe a hire like Wilcox would have been better after all?
It's the same way with the players Terry. With the transfer portal both players and coaches treat college football like pro football, trading players all over the place with their only care about "next season" with no thought to the future after that. I miss seeing teams develop players over 4-5 years and reap the reward. There is no loyalty to their school. I'm a Duck fan but I've really come to admire Coach Smith for what he has done as head coach at OSU.
It's going to be a major difference for OSU going forward. They may not be consistently at the top because of it, but the guys who are there, mostly WANT to be there and are proud of what they have built. They aren't jumping ship the second someone waves a few bucks at them.
A few bucks, of course not. 6 figures… bye Martinez… as he should. They are putting their long term health at risk. And that kind of money could really help the players and families from poor backgrounds.
I didn't say it wouldn't happen, or even shouldnt, I said we don't tend to have those type of players which is true. We have guys who want to work and better them selves and the team. They see the value of what they are being taught. Funny you mention martinez, as he's even come out and publically said he has no interest in leaving or going to a flashy school. OSU is home for him, where he can put his head down and do work. His own words. We'll see how it shakes out for sure, but I have faith in OSU's higher quality of student athletes and recruitment than some other schools.
True. To quote my 30 year old godson at Thanksgiving dinner: "the only way to really advance in your career and make more money is to stay at a job for 3-4 years and then find a better job with a different employer". LOL I worked at only 3 places over 42 years.
I am sick of the Ducks' arrogance and excessive expectations (Lanning going for it on 4th and 1 from his own 29 WITH THE LEAD, is just one excellent example of program arrogance). Knight and his money has created an Oregon University program equivalent of a spoiled kid. If the wealthy donors and fans don't get what they paid for they throw a hissy fit. I have expected this reaction and been predicting that Ducks fans will cry when they lose, as if winning over their neighbor university is some entitlement. I have not been disappointed in the reaction this column details.
Come on. Our team just gave up a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter against our intrastate rival. You expect us to be gracious and philosophical and happy for our Beaver Fan colleagues? It is not an excessive expectation to think your team should win a game with a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter, no matter who the opponent. Good for the Beavs and good for you and your fandom; enjoy it. If you don't want to read about Duck fan thoughts don't read stories about Duck fans and booster, pro tip.
dude...have you EVER heard of the term "poor winner"...If there was a picture of one in Wikipedia, It would be yours. You OSewe fans bitch when you lose and bitch when you win. Your inferiority complex is insufferable. the only one throwing a "hissy fit is you...get over yourself and your inferiority complex...You do realize Phil and Penny Knight have donated millions towards OSU too...right???
Think what about Alabama (state or school?) Alabama is a decent comparison in terms of state size. Yet it supports two CFP football programs, Alabama and Auburn. Sure, it has much more fertile local recruiting. But recruiting is now a national process and there is no reason the state of Oregon can't support two CFP type football programs if Alabama can by recruiting heavily out of state (they both do). OSU is a very large school with major league revenue. It is not Ohio State, Michigan large, but it is one of the largest schools in the western USA at 31,000 students vs 22,600 at U of O. The more students run through your school the more potential wealthy donors. It is just a numbers game at that point. If the school leadership can keep Smith on board, just like Joe Paterno at Penn State, another small college town in the middle of nowhere, then OSU can do the same.
"I am sick of the Ducks' arrogance and excessive expectations".
Good...choke on it!
I'm not crying after the loss, But I am disgusted at Lanning's gambling lunacy. But what is hilarious is OSU fans like McMorris are ANGRY over Oregon fan's & donor's expectations...I wonder if he's just as angry with Beaver fan arrogance & expectations over their baseball program since Oregon major donors Phil and Peni Knight saved the OSU baseball program by paying Pat Casey's New contract salary & salary increase (at the time) in order to retain him at OSU when OSU was too financially strapped to do so and was resigned to let him go to Notre Dame. Hypocrisy runs deep in OSU fans.
They offered Wilcox the job and he turned it down. Given the expectations of Uncle Phil, no coach is going to take this job who is not on a lower rung of the coaching ladder. This is a great place to make a name and move on because you are given so much and so much is expected right now. It is not a good place for someone who knows it will take 3-5 years to build a championship caliber team because Uncle Phil does not have 3-5 years left to wait.
We’ll see if Smith, staff, and star players stick around. This is their first season where they’ve been good enough to draw interest from bigger programs or NFL
Wilcox went 4-8 in his 6th season at Cal. And he turned down a UO offer because they wanted him to earn his salary and recruit. Would have been a terrible hire, imo.
Petersen would have been the local connection play to make after Chip left rather than Mullens blindly following Kelly’s recommendation- who showed he couldn’t care less about UO. But even Petersen flamed out after he saw the direction CFB is going.
Yep--well aware of the transfer portal...and how it has changed college football. But consider this: in the NFL a player is "owned" by the franchise until his contract is completed. In the portal, any player at anytime can leave--if the coach that recruited him leaves or because he doesn't get playing time or he just doesn't want to be there anymore. There's no contract holding him. That leaves the concept of team building, commitment, discipline and delayed gratification--all good character qualities--secondary to "just win".
Is that the only objective for college athletics now? Having been on the 1970 national championship track team at the UO and a high school track coach for a decade thereafter, I sure hope not.
The Ducks have a great football coach. The coach at Cal is a poor coach at best. Good riddance to Mario, Taggart, and all the pipe dreams like the Beavers bring in like Tinkle. Tinkle tinkled on himself and came out on top all of three times last year. Beaver basketball is a poor joke. Gill coliseum is rat infested and can be shut down at any minute by a fire marshall. Oooosssuuu pee you, please bring in a brand new leader like the guy that peed in his thong undies all over himself last year at Gill as he supposedly coached the mens basketball team. GO DUCKS
Helfrich was an excellent offensive mind. He was a HORRIBLE recruiter, and just as bad at game strategy. He should have stayed as an offensive coordinator.
Good read John. I really think Dan Lanning is gonna turn out a home run for Oregon Football. He seems a man of strong character and players respond well. We know 1st time coaches make mistakes. Too bad it happened in both Rivalry games. But i believe Oregon is in good hands.
P.S. those bad play calls that showed up in a couple games.(going for it in your own territory on 4th down etc) I wonder..we’re those calls from the HC or OC? It really felt like a distracted play caller. Something seemed oddly familiar. Dan Lanning likes to be aggressive but those calls seem a bit uncharacteristic of him.
PSS… LANNING MUST GET THIS NEW OC HIRE RIGHT AND HE NEEDS TO DO IT QUICK. Something tells me this did not catch him off guard and he probably already knows who he is gonna hire.
We just moved to Oregon. I think you have two great football coaches who are good human beings. I also think it is possible that neither will simply use their present position as a stepping stone. Lots of places aren't so lucky. With the exception of places like Ohio State and Alabama, football success comes from longevity of the coach. Some can buy success (SC), but very few.
well...if those calls were from a coordinator...THAT IS ON Lanning. How do you let a coordinator make those type of calls...(You don't), he didn't. I believe Lanning made those calls and just hass not learned from his mistakes...He has continuously let his ego and emotions write checks, his players can't cash. And there in lies the problem with very young coaches. Most great coaches have become great through years of experience...As a very young coach without much experience how do you learn? like anyone else, through failure. If you are a program that has floundered a couple years but are used to winning, why would you hire an inexperienced coach? It's pretty mindboggling to me.
IMO...(1) Lanning needs to fire his special teams coach...(2) He needs to find an outstanding diamond in the rough at O/C IMMEDIATELY! (There is no room for on the job training). (3) And he needs to either help Tosh Lupoi (who is D/C and LB position coach), or demote him to a defensive position coach...{that defense was a sieve} and Linebacking was extremely weak.
Thanks for the reporting - you cut to the chase and tell it the way it is. As a long-time Beaver and close friends with many Ducks, I have observed the shift in expectations by the U of O supporters over many years. Many of them feel "entitled" to have success which, in my opinion, has come about from the unequal financial support between the two institutions. They are riding on Phil Knight's largess and think any success is because somehow U of O (and by reflection - they) are superior to OSU. It gets tiresome.
As far as the game, the Beavers focused on winning, and the Ducks were afraid of losing.
Coach Smith and his staff have created a great culture and I suggest that the long-term impact on these young men's lives will be remembered long after the memory of this game fades.
The boys were all saying this felt like the Super Bowl to them. I have never seen so many 21 year old men, football players at that, so emotional. The post game interviews are really very special. Here is the Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEDsCyzszVE
I understand why Duck fans would be so upset but Lanning is the right guy for the future. If anyone is going to learn from this season it will be him and his staff! This guy is going to be terrific and 2-3 years from now they will be a constant CFP team with the ability to compete at the highest level. Lanning is the real deal! Give some credit to the Beavers for making some great plays at the most important times of the game.
If you believe the Ducks will be a constant CFP team, do you also believe the Beavers will be a constant CFP team competing at the highest level? And if not, why not? Is the air in Eugene more pure than in Corvallis?
I am a Beaver believer! Johnathan Smith has everything going the right direction. The corner has been turned but now the Beavs have to get the national attention and that will be harder for the Beavs. Winning takes care of a LOT of things and I see the Beavs in great shape going forward. Best hire they EVER made was Smith.
"Smith’s team demonstrated exceptional resilience. It overcame terrible officiating"
Absolutely...and this refrain is getting tiresome. There's now three characters in every Pac-12 contest: two teams and one officiating crew. I'll let you decide who the MAIN character is most weeks. When I watch a game the first reaction to any play is "was there a flag?" Now I notice they throw flags, talk it over, and frequently wave off the call. Yeah, when in doubt, call a foul and then vote on it. Good grief. Could someone please tell these guys they aren't stars, co-stars, or even credited actors in the show. They're only supposed to be bit players that help move the story along!
Officiating was bad. I don't get it. I was near the 5 yard line. Saw the line judge make the mistake. He was not in good position. It should have been re-spotted. Weird that replay missed it. I've been in the replay command center. It's not perfect.
If technology can get the location of a pitch going 100mph within a centimeter, you’d think they’d have something by now to spot a football accurately.
You’re wrong on one thing, John. From what I saw, Dillingham flew out of Corvallis at the end of the third quarter. And took Tosh with him. (Those were mannequins on the Oregon sideline.)
I'm not panicking and still like the Lanning hire. That said I surprised at the hubris displayed against UW and OSU which, IMO, cost the Ducks both games. Agreed Coach is a high-integrity guy who can recruit like a witch- and I think he has better coaching chops than Taggart or Cristobal. Losing Dillingham isn't the end of the world. Me, I'm more concerned about the DC. Can we get an upgrade there?
Would be a fun game, but we might lose 72-56... difference being a couple interceptions, which Penix has done 2x in red zone vs both WSU and Oregon. Still can't believe we are 10-2 with no D.
They would be 12-0 and headed for the championship series if they had a decent defense. I'm sure DeBoer is well aware of that fact and will address it.
OK, I just can’t with this. First of all, rich donor dude, maybe wait until the end of the game before buying your luxury box?!?!? 😂
3 weeks ago, Lanning is a God-send. Now he’s a mistake? The guy is great and he’s 10+ years younger than me. The win-now mentality is why UO hasn’t had a solid heir to Mariota other than Herbert’s accidental ascendancy after Prukop face-planted. 3 transfer QBs instead of homegrown dudes.
Also, I’d like to point out that UO went with the old hands in Taggart and Cristobal. Gone, both of them, in short order. They hired Lanning, who is *invested in the community* and is likely here for awhile. He’s already good and will likely get better.
Look, I get the donors and boosters want ROI, but this is a public school. Mullins answers to the taxpayers, not them, and any loss of revenue is HIS problem, not theirs. They’re free to donate less money or find another school that will take their cash, but they otherwise are just another influential voice AT the table.
It’s just football, y’all. They lost a game they shouldn’t have lost, just as they did in the Alamo Bowl. They recovered then, they’ll recover now.
I fully agree. I just wish the donors would chill. All due respect to Phil Knight and others like him, they're boosters, not coaches or athletic administration, and UO is a public school. If they were in admin or the Oregon State Legislature, they'd make the calls. They didn't choose to pursue those career paths. And that's fine! But they need to know their roles, and those roles are as influencers and nothing else. They can vote with their wallets, if they choose to do so, or they're free to try to throw their money around at UP or Stanford, if they so choose. If not, they can focus on whatever they think is important and take their lumps at UO, if they arrive.
Bad coaching decisions are a thing. Lanning will learn...or he won't...and his career will advance based on those learnings.
As a former Pop Warner coach, Lanning’s play calling , particularly on 4th and 1, violated standard Football play calling strategy; As we say in the military , Lanning is a “Loose Cannon”, who can destroy his own team....he has not learned patience in his young years as a defensive minded coach....it’s going to be painful to watch him learn now as a HC, at the expense of future wins and UO bowl selections . Right now he is a “handicap” for the Ducks !
I still think too much was said of the play calling, and not enough of Ducks defense allowing the Beavs to run down the field 3 straight possessions Not once did they try to force them to pass
Agree Thom. While I loved the OSU play calling and going back to the run in the 2nd half, why is no one talking about UO’s defense? All I’m seeing in the comments is the failed 4th and 1 play, but is anyone questioning the UO’s D coordinator not being able to adjust? Blame Lanning all you want but Duck fans shouldn’t give their D coordinator a free pass. Certainly a satisfying win by my “little brother” Beavs. We outplayed and out coached the big brother yesterday. Classic.
I’m not a duck fan at all but to blame the head coach sucks. Maybe they need to give him a chance to grow his own program one year is just his start!! Ducks act like spoiled brats didn’t get their way now they want to take their blanket and go home 🙈. Go beaver 🦫
Good piece, JC. When hiring a head coach I think the coach's ability to develop, nurture and motivate the players he has should be at least as important as his ability to recruit. Jonathan Smith is a case study. He generally doesn't get the players most highly regarded by the recruiting rankings. But he turns the ones he gets into good college football players. And he is a good strategist on game day. You can say the same about Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.
Thank you Ken. Good points. It was an honor, as always, to sit beside you in the press box at a game. Always love seeing you my friend.
282 (now 283) comments? WOW!
Great board and a great group of committed readers who for, by far, the most part are able to disagree without being disagreeable which, in general, is a lost art in these days.
Congratulations + thank you.
Oh Bullcrap!!!😉🤙🏼
LOL!
Yes. Smith is constantly underrated, sadly by local press as much as national. Just because he isn't a rah- rah guy racing up and down the sidelines all game long, don't ever count him out.
I think Jonathan Smith has been widely praised by the local media.
Perhaps I am engaging in semantic hair-splitting, but ...
Yes, Smith has been praised for turning the program around. Yet there still is an undertone of surprise when the Beavers beat a tough opponent. Much of the reporting I read about yesterday's game was of the "OSU didn't win, UO lost" variety (thanks John for noting the outcome was the result of a joint effort). If Smith and OSU were highly rated in the eyes of reporters, the outcome shouldn't be a surprise, should it?
And I admit I am a typical Beaver fan who gets tired of the Ducks always sucking all the air out of the room, so take that into account.
As a longtime Duck I knew Smith was going to be bad news for the Ducks when he was hired just like he was when he played.
I had the same feeling when I heard the news. The funny thing is he seems to be following a similar pattern of recruiting that Rich Brooks (in his latter years as coach at Oregon) and Mike Bellotti used. Find some hungry 3 star guys and a few 4 stars and coach them. It didn't always lead to the best character selections but they did have success. Back then any bowl game was cause for celebration.
When Bobby Bowden was building FSU Seminole fans in the early days of the turn around.
If you build it THEY will come.
No criticism intended but to really get recognition you cannot go on the road and lose at Purdue.
So happy for J Smith but next in the process comes scheduling and beating OOC heavyweights.
On the money, Ken. Lanning is making stupid stupid school boy decisions with his schoolboy Ego, instead of following standard play calling protocol BASED on long time experience . Will he learn to curb his Ego ? Remains to be seen , but if not, he will continue to cause much stress among players and Alumni !
Am sure that Phil K will not put up with an ego driven school boy Head Coach !!!!
Where were you when Lanning"s gambles were exciting and paying off? Any bandwagon fan can second guess.
They were good until they weren’t
Good points, but I bet Lanning will learn & adapt.
Sorry Ken but with the transfer portal getting a recruit and developing him is a thing of the past. Top programs will be getting the playmakers from the Portal like USC did. 19 in all. The college game of 2019 is gone colleges are now what I would call semi pro and unless a school does that they will be also tans
Excellent point! Those who read the comments here know I am a huge Smith fan and always have been since his playing days. I think very few head coaches in Div 1 have his personal qualities. From my 60 year personal observation of football, the best coaches look exactly like Smith. No amount of money can offset those personal qualities, though it will take money at OSU for Smith to reach his potential and make the Beavers a perennial power program. Kids don't seem to pick schools for the academics anymore and probably haven't for decades. But with the portal and the NIL, Div 1 football has become a profession and money will be required to recruit and keep top quality players. With the proper resources, like the Ducks seem to always have (the Knight Effect), Smith will field teams as good as or better than what the Ducks can deliver. The time of state athletic parity is near. And we will continue to watch Ducks cry.
Beavers lost three pac-12 games this year, and the Ducks 2. Utah man-handled the Beavs in Utah, and the Ducks beat Utah at Autzen. Parity? Reser allegedly has a 36,000 seat capacity
for 2023. Autzen has held 60,000 for just 19 years, since their remodel in 2003. Duck facilities for football are second to none, including the NFL. Matt Knight arena for concerts and basketball is a beautiful facility in Eugene. Gill Coliseum has seen better days, and last year the mens bb team at OSU came out on top just three times, and constantly tinkled on themselves. The top rated track and field facility in the entire universe., is located on the U of O campus, directly across from the Knight School of Law. It holds 20,000 and recently held the first ever outdoor championships for track and field. Duck track and field teams for men and ladies, every year, choose from the best high school atheletes in all of U.S. Last I checked, the four- lane dirt track scheduled to be built around the football field at Reser,
has been scrapped. Beavers do not like dirt, and are very tired of being trained to run in circles. So, this means the next time the track and field teams at OSU, try and find a facility to train at, they will have to revert to the research farms located off campus in Corvallis. Stop crying Beavers, as Phil Knight has donated lots to your athletic programs. Your uniforms are made by Nike, and in your sorrow, please read SHOE DOCTOR, by Uncle Phil, written in the first person. A great read, and very nice to experience. GO DUCKS
LOL...I have to laugh at posts like that. I like the enthusiasm, but come on. One win over Oregon, and in OSU fan's minds it's the beginning of a Dynasty. OSU has Beaten Oregon 7 times in the last TWO DECADES! and only 5 times in the prior two DECADES that's 12 wins over Oregon in 40 years....And yet after every OSU win we hear the same old garbage like Mr. McMorris is tossing out. Make a habit out of winning, and then you MAY have a point.
Gloat if you like. OSU did not have an Admin that cared for sports for 30 years (1970s to 2000). It was not until Scott Barnes came on board with a mandate from major contributing alums, to get a football program that was competitive, that it was an even battle. Even then, there were mistakes, like the hiring of Gary Anderson. The 30 years before Mike Riley's first stint was a parade of clowns for head coaches and ADs who could not (or were not allowed) to compete. Craig Fertig? Joe Avezzano? David Kragthorpe? Jerry Pettibone? One disaster after another (and before Phil Knight and his demand of the U of O Admin to get with it, so were the Oregon HCs and ADs). What is obvious since 2017 is the OSU Admin got the message. They are spending money and hired Jonathan Smith who will be with OSU a very long time. Who knows about Dan Lanning. Four years, if lucky. One thing we know about college football is Money Talks.
I was mad at Lanning too. Last night. I don’t know too many Duck fans who weren’t mad. About something. Anything. The 4th and 1 give to Nix was one of my peeves. Sunday brings calmer nerves. I certainly hope no one is seriously considering firing Dan Lanning. I see great potential in him. I like him. Let cooler heads prevail. Do what OSU did yesterday. Never give up. Never give in. Get back up and continue the good fight!
I like this perspective. Thanks for sharing it.
good post and I think not enough credit is being given to the Beavers. Yes there were horrible decisions by Oregon coaching staff, but Oregon State is a very good football team. Looking at their schedule Fresno State and Boise State are top of their leagues and receiving top 25 votes. We narrowly lost to USC and Washington. Oregon State could easily be 11-1 had OUR coaching staff made better decisions.
I do think ORegon lost their cool yesterday. Also, seeing their sideline during the Beaver rally they were just standing there. There was no energy. They were done and they seemed to understand that.
Why can't Duck fans and the media acknowledge how good Oregon State is?!!! It really torques me, to be honest. This team has the best D in the Pac 12 and the rushing D is #13 in the country. Martinez is one of the best backs in the country by stats and is matching some of Stephen Jackson's all time records. Jackson was an NFL All Pro. The receivers are not very tall but they are fast and have also done well when given the chance. The Beavers could easily have won the USC and Washington game and would be 11-1 right now, tying their all time record for wins. This is a very good team built of 2s and 3s, the recruiting "everymen". The top 10 programs are stuffed with 4s and 5s which means more physically gifted, but not necessarily more determined. Jonathan Smith gets more out of his player talent than any other HC in Div 1. Hard to prove statistically, but with a lot of anecdotal evidence.
Oregon State is good. Smith is great.
Hey John: You rated Utah as having the best home field advantage in the Pac-12. You put 25,000 seat Reser as second. You did not mention Autzen in your expert opinion. I have not been to a game in Utah but have been to Reser many times. I have seen the Ducks at home in Autzen for most of their home games since it
opened in 1969. Notre Dame came there in 1982 and it ended in a tie, . Michigan lost there too, and the result had a Sports Illustrated cover that read "rich, cool, and 4-0 " I saw Kenny;s interception in 1994 that beat the Monsters from Montlake, aka the puppies from Seattle. I cheered at Chip Kelly's huge victory over the Beavs to go to the Roses.. I remember a back from the Cougars , Reuben Mayes, rush for only 250 plus yards against Rich Brooks in 1984. In 1979 the Ducks outplayed Don James all day, only to lose on a punt return near the end of the game. Terry Obee, on fourth and goal from the Husky one yard line did an end around run so I could finally see the Huskies lose in Autzen in the late 1980s. James only lost 3 of the 24 times he played Oregon. Now, there is a Husky Free Zone in Oregon. The Monsters from Montlake are allegedly back, but not for sure. They sell alcohol, starting last year at Husky Stadium. The beer is ice cold in 2021 as Jimmy Lake and the puppies lost at home to my Ducks. First time I claimed victory in Seattle! I return in 2023 to Husky Stadium for my revenge. Ditto to Autzen in 2023 to see the Beavs lose. Go Ducks, and thank God a true good head coach is running the ship in Eugene. Best year for the Beavs in forever this season; not having a kicker or a good signal caller has them back to being an average team in 2023. Call them the one-hit smash mouth giant killers! Ducks still rule the pacific-12 in football again, and they have the best over-all record of any team in the league for the last 10 or so years. Exactly, please, name the number of times the baby Beavs of Corvallis have ever been on top of the conference in football.? Maybe it happened in 2000 as coach Smith beat Notre Dame in the Fiesta super bowl! Dennis Erickson in Benton County. as best coach since Dee Andros the mighty Beavs have had. GO DUCKS.
“YELL-0”
Wow, you’re living in the past, and that’s why Duck fan has no grip on reality! Give respect to your opponent whether you win or lose, because a lack of respect is all the motivation an underdog needs! Instead of bashing on teams that beat you, look within, accept blame, and learn patience. After billions from Uncle Phil to upgrade facilities, hire recruiters etc, Oregon has become a revolving door for coaches in wait of their dream job elsewhere. Why Justin Wilcox is not in Eugene baffles me, though I will take half the recruiting fee and bet he would exceed realistic goals and expectations.
Pop Quiz, “How many National Titles has the U of O won? There is a reason why the U of O makes every fan recite this answer at every game, “Yell-0”!
If I was living in the past I would be sitting in Autzen in the rain behind 34-0 to UCLA in the second quarter(late 1970s) I have been a strong Duck fan and supporter for just 60 years. We used to go 2-9 or 3-8 every year. I hung in there with Rich Brooks,'have met this quality man more than once, and I liked Mike Belotti and the Chipster too! I do give respect to my opponent, and I have learned to shake hands after every game, win or lose. Justin Wilcox can stay in Berkeley; he is a poor coach. I knew slick Willy and sun-super Mario were the wrong guy before they ever coached one game in Eugene. When I voiced this publily on facebook, everybody bashed me and said I did not know football. So glad these two are back in Florida. The SEC and Big-10 still rule college football. Our new coach, Dan Lanning, came from Georgia, where his defense won the natty last year. Georgia will repeat, as defense wins championships. Lanning has taken the heat for the two losses to UW and OSU., and admitted he made mistakes. I pray he stays in Eugene, and I feel he will. Bo Nix may not be back next year, but we will be fine. Chip got us to the final four, and we will be back. Read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight; well written and a best-seller. Dump Trump 2024 and GO DUCKS! YELLOW AND GREEN make a mean machine!
Hi Donnie. I enjoy reading your posts but you've got to stop living in the past, although I can understand you wanting to as glorious the past 20 years have been for our good friends in Eugene.
What are your comments about DJ Johnson and his punching a fan while the fan was not looking. Will Lanning suspend him for the bowl game?
Chip: I do not live in the past at all. I sat in the rain at Autzen for 15 or so years and watched them go 2-9, or maybe 3-8. Loved Rich Brooks and Mike Belotti too. Never gave up on my Ducks, and never will. I am very happy with Lanning, and we will be fine. Thanks to the Knights, Oregon has the best facilities for football of anyone, anywhere, including the NFL. I am so glad slick Willy Taggart and sub-super Mario Cristobal went back to Florida. where they belong. Would love to see Bo Nix stay in Eugene for one more year and get the revenge I seek: beat Huskies and Beavs next year. Know nothing about DJ Johnson and did not see it. I like reading what you write too, Chip!
Still crying....I know it hurts to lose to OSU. You will get used to the pain as your baseball players have. Your Duck friends did in the 1970s and 80s before Knight started showering U of O with money. Phil's money is not forever. Get used to the idea of sharing the spotlight in the state with the Beavers.
what is really interesting is that the position we are most lacking in is the quarterback position, and you would think that given Smith's background that would have been taken care of by now. After what I saw from Gulbranson during the Civil War, I feel we do need to go with the Portal I just don't see any other options. Not trying to be cute but Nolan had his chance.
You gotta bring the bucks to nab a top flight QB out of portal these days.
Honestly, if you follow 247 or Rivals, the team is built around 3 stars, there are no 2s, except for the JC transfers, who are all automatically assigned "2 stars"....
Brian McMorris said; "Why can't Duck fans and the media acknowledge how good Oregon State is? Why should we? We aren't OSU fans...If you want the Beavers to get praise, give them some. We have our own program to cheer for...or not. I'm sure every year you have a soap box ready when Oregon beats OSU, so you can step up and loudly proclaim the awesomeness of the University or Oregon football team...{{{NOT}}}. Wow the inferiority complex runs Deep in Corvallis.
Brian has a good reply below. Grant's dad - I don't think you are being asked to cheer for OSU. I think he is asking why you can't acknowledge the obvious, that this year the Beavers are better than the Ducks. That comeback was a masterpiece, what wrong with simply saying, wow, we got beat, that's a good team over there. Sheesh.
McMorris (if you read his posts in this thread) Is DYING for OSU recognition. Well it's not our job to do so. If they want recognition, win consistently and they will get that from fans and media. Oregon has received plenty of recognition since 1990. WHY??? Because they turned the program around and started winning CONSISTENTLY. OSU had their best season in 2000-2001 under Dennis Erickson. But what happened since??? Answer...not much
Well, you would be pretty wrong. I always sing the praise of the U of O, EXCEPT when they play OSU. Being from the mid-Valley, I have a lot of friends who went to U of O. I am for the state, not against Eugene. I have no inferiority complex. There is no denying that money matters in Div 1 sports and the Ducks get a lot of money from Phil Knight and friends. I have been badgering OSU leadership to do something about the disparity. Until the last few years (2000), they did not care. Now there is an awakening at OSU for the value of solid sports programs and they are building the program, though could always use more money to make it bigger and better. But it is ridiculous when Duck fans disparage the Beavers successes and want to deny them any in the future (praying for Smith to be lured away to another school). It is comical. It is the Ducks who have a complex, worrying about when the Knight money dries up and that OSU might pull ahead in high profile sports as they already are in non-income sports like baseball, gymnastics, wrestling and soccer.
All the people slamming Lanning and praising Smith for player development are ignoring it took Smith years to get to this point.
2020
Maybe, since you will be in Las Vegas for the title game, the Oregon donor who purchased the suite for the game will let you use his suite.
I thought of that.
for the $11k!
🤘🏻🤚🏼
Are we missing something here? The game had shades of Cristobal's impending departure last year. KD made some "distracted" decisions like going for it on 4th and 13 on his own 29 as if to say "I'm outa here so I'll go out with a bang if this work. If it doesn't, no loss to me."
OSU hired an OSU guy who is very content to be at OSU. Oregon expects more so goes for high profile hires--then loses them after a year or two if they do well.
I'm sick of today's coaching attitude of get whatever is good for me whenever it pleases me. How do you teach a 19 year-old that loyalty, integrity and determination is important when you betray those very things by jumping at the first opportunity to "get more for me"? Maybe a hire like Wilcox would have been better after all?
It's the same way with the players Terry. With the transfer portal both players and coaches treat college football like pro football, trading players all over the place with their only care about "next season" with no thought to the future after that. I miss seeing teams develop players over 4-5 years and reap the reward. There is no loyalty to their school. I'm a Duck fan but I've really come to admire Coach Smith for what he has done as head coach at OSU.
It's going to be a major difference for OSU going forward. They may not be consistently at the top because of it, but the guys who are there, mostly WANT to be there and are proud of what they have built. They aren't jumping ship the second someone waves a few bucks at them.
A few bucks, of course not. 6 figures… bye Martinez… as he should. They are putting their long term health at risk. And that kind of money could really help the players and families from poor backgrounds.
I didn't say it wouldn't happen, or even shouldnt, I said we don't tend to have those type of players which is true. We have guys who want to work and better them selves and the team. They see the value of what they are being taught. Funny you mention martinez, as he's even come out and publically said he has no interest in leaving or going to a flashy school. OSU is home for him, where he can put his head down and do work. His own words. We'll see how it shakes out for sure, but I have faith in OSU's higher quality of student athletes and recruitment than some other schools.
BOOM!
True. To quote my 30 year old godson at Thanksgiving dinner: "the only way to really advance in your career and make more money is to stay at a job for 3-4 years and then find a better job with a different employer". LOL I worked at only 3 places over 42 years.
Careers and employers are a lot different these days. Maybe you should consider his viewpoint rather than scoffing at it.
I am sick of the Ducks' arrogance and excessive expectations (Lanning going for it on 4th and 1 from his own 29 WITH THE LEAD, is just one excellent example of program arrogance). Knight and his money has created an Oregon University program equivalent of a spoiled kid. If the wealthy donors and fans don't get what they paid for they throw a hissy fit. I have expected this reaction and been predicting that Ducks fans will cry when they lose, as if winning over their neighbor university is some entitlement. I have not been disappointed in the reaction this column details.
Duck fans and USC fans can be entitled and arrogant..
Come on. Our team just gave up a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter against our intrastate rival. You expect us to be gracious and philosophical and happy for our Beaver Fan colleagues? It is not an excessive expectation to think your team should win a game with a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter, no matter who the opponent. Good for the Beavs and good for you and your fandom; enjoy it. If you don't want to read about Duck fan thoughts don't read stories about Duck fans and booster, pro tip.
dude...have you EVER heard of the term "poor winner"...If there was a picture of one in Wikipedia, It would be yours. You OSewe fans bitch when you lose and bitch when you win. Your inferiority complex is insufferable. the only one throwing a "hissy fit is you...get over yourself and your inferiority complex...You do realize Phil and Penny Knight have donated millions towards OSU too...right???
Think Alabama
Think what about Alabama (state or school?) Alabama is a decent comparison in terms of state size. Yet it supports two CFP football programs, Alabama and Auburn. Sure, it has much more fertile local recruiting. But recruiting is now a national process and there is no reason the state of Oregon can't support two CFP type football programs if Alabama can by recruiting heavily out of state (they both do). OSU is a very large school with major league revenue. It is not Ohio State, Michigan large, but it is one of the largest schools in the western USA at 31,000 students vs 22,600 at U of O. The more students run through your school the more potential wealthy donors. It is just a numbers game at that point. If the school leadership can keep Smith on board, just like Joe Paterno at Penn State, another small college town in the middle of nowhere, then OSU can do the same.
Brian McMorris said;
"I am sick of the Ducks' arrogance and excessive expectations".
Good...choke on it!
I'm not crying after the loss, But I am disgusted at Lanning's gambling lunacy. But what is hilarious is OSU fans like McMorris are ANGRY over Oregon fan's & donor's expectations...I wonder if he's just as angry with Beaver fan arrogance & expectations over their baseball program since Oregon major donors Phil and Peni Knight saved the OSU baseball program by paying Pat Casey's New contract salary & salary increase (at the time) in order to retain him at OSU when OSU was too financially strapped to do so and was resigned to let him go to Notre Dame. Hypocrisy runs deep in OSU fans.
They offered Wilcox the job and he turned it down. Given the expectations of Uncle Phil, no coach is going to take this job who is not on a lower rung of the coaching ladder. This is a great place to make a name and move on because you are given so much and so much is expected right now. It is not a good place for someone who knows it will take 3-5 years to build a championship caliber team because Uncle Phil does not have 3-5 years left to wait.
It’s like a Jerry Jones / Dallas Cowboys saga
We’ll see if Smith, staff, and star players stick around. This is their first season where they’ve been good enough to draw interest from bigger programs or NFL
Wilcox went 4-8 in his 6th season at Cal. And he turned down a UO offer because they wanted him to earn his salary and recruit. Would have been a terrible hire, imo.
Petersen would have been the local connection play to make after Chip left rather than Mullens blindly following Kelly’s recommendation- who showed he couldn’t care less about UO. But even Petersen flamed out after he saw the direction CFB is going.
Agree with the Kenny and Cristobal comparisons.
Totally agree!!
Terry has anyone told you about the transfer portal these are all kids in their lateteens early 20s
Yep--well aware of the transfer portal...and how it has changed college football. But consider this: in the NFL a player is "owned" by the franchise until his contract is completed. In the portal, any player at anytime can leave--if the coach that recruited him leaves or because he doesn't get playing time or he just doesn't want to be there anymore. There's no contract holding him. That leaves the concept of team building, commitment, discipline and delayed gratification--all good character qualities--secondary to "just win".
Is that the only objective for college athletics now? Having been on the 1970 national championship track team at the UO and a high school track coach for a decade thereafter, I sure hope not.
I could tell that you were wise.
You know sports and thank you for your incisive and authentic comments.
Thank you Ed--a nice compliment. Much appreciated!
The Ducks have a great football coach. The coach at Cal is a poor coach at best. Good riddance to Mario, Taggart, and all the pipe dreams like the Beavers bring in like Tinkle. Tinkle tinkled on himself and came out on top all of three times last year. Beaver basketball is a poor joke. Gill coliseum is rat infested and can be shut down at any minute by a fire marshall. Oooosssuuu pee you, please bring in a brand new leader like the guy that peed in his thong undies all over himself last year at Gill as he supposedly coached the mens basketball team. GO DUCKS
Or stayed with Mark Helfrich..
I think Helf was an excellent coordinator. Not a head coach, though. He didn't go 9-3. He went 4-8.
Helfrich was an excellent offensive mind. He was a HORRIBLE recruiter, and just as bad at game strategy. He should have stayed as an offensive coordinator.
AMEN!!!!
Good read John. I really think Dan Lanning is gonna turn out a home run for Oregon Football. He seems a man of strong character and players respond well. We know 1st time coaches make mistakes. Too bad it happened in both Rivalry games. But i believe Oregon is in good hands.
P.S. those bad play calls that showed up in a couple games.(going for it in your own territory on 4th down etc) I wonder..we’re those calls from the HC or OC? It really felt like a distracted play caller. Something seemed oddly familiar. Dan Lanning likes to be aggressive but those calls seem a bit uncharacteristic of him.
PSS… LANNING MUST GET THIS NEW OC HIRE RIGHT AND HE NEEDS TO DO IT QUICK. Something tells me this did not catch him off guard and he probably already knows who he is gonna hire.
Thanks Rick. Good perspective.
We just moved to Oregon. I think you have two great football coaches who are good human beings. I also think it is possible that neither will simply use their present position as a stepping stone. Lots of places aren't so lucky. With the exception of places like Ohio State and Alabama, football success comes from longevity of the coach. Some can buy success (SC), but very few.
Oregon can
Amen.
well...if those calls were from a coordinator...THAT IS ON Lanning. How do you let a coordinator make those type of calls...(You don't), he didn't. I believe Lanning made those calls and just hass not learned from his mistakes...He has continuously let his ego and emotions write checks, his players can't cash. And there in lies the problem with very young coaches. Most great coaches have become great through years of experience...As a very young coach without much experience how do you learn? like anyone else, through failure. If you are a program that has floundered a couple years but are used to winning, why would you hire an inexperienced coach? It's pretty mindboggling to me.
IMO...(1) Lanning needs to fire his special teams coach...(2) He needs to find an outstanding diamond in the rough at O/C IMMEDIATELY! (There is no room for on the job training). (3) And he needs to either help Tosh Lupoi (who is D/C and LB position coach), or demote him to a defensive position coach...{that defense was a sieve} and Linebacking was extremely weak.
Tosh is a recruiter, not a coordinator or position coach that should be in those positions.
Probably someone from a JC
What's a "Rivalry Game"?
Thanks for the reporting - you cut to the chase and tell it the way it is. As a long-time Beaver and close friends with many Ducks, I have observed the shift in expectations by the U of O supporters over many years. Many of them feel "entitled" to have success which, in my opinion, has come about from the unequal financial support between the two institutions. They are riding on Phil Knight's largess and think any success is because somehow U of O (and by reflection - they) are superior to OSU. It gets tiresome.
As far as the game, the Beavers focused on winning, and the Ducks were afraid of losing.
Coach Smith and his staff have created a great culture and I suggest that the long-term impact on these young men's lives will be remembered long after the memory of this game fades.
Ray, I so agree with your post, but I doubt this game and all that was at stake will ever fade from these exceptional young men. So proud today!
The boys were all saying this felt like the Super Bowl to them. I have never seen so many 21 year old men, football players at that, so emotional. The post game interviews are really very special. Here is the Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEDsCyzszVE
So you like to lose?
Well said. That sums up how I feel about Itah. And the kids I coach.
Well played. Charlie
I understand why Duck fans would be so upset but Lanning is the right guy for the future. If anyone is going to learn from this season it will be him and his staff! This guy is going to be terrific and 2-3 years from now they will be a constant CFP team with the ability to compete at the highest level. Lanning is the real deal! Give some credit to the Beavers for making some great plays at the most important times of the game.
Now Ducks and Beavs go win a bowl game!
Good perspective.
If you believe the Ducks will be a constant CFP team, do you also believe the Beavers will be a constant CFP team competing at the highest level? And if not, why not? Is the air in Eugene more pure than in Corvallis?
I think OSU will compete, yes. Smith has it going.
I am a Beaver believer! Johnathan Smith has everything going the right direction. The corner has been turned but now the Beavs have to get the national attention and that will be harder for the Beavs. Winning takes care of a LOT of things and I see the Beavs in great shape going forward. Best hire they EVER made was Smith.
"Smith’s team demonstrated exceptional resilience. It overcame terrible officiating"
Absolutely...and this refrain is getting tiresome. There's now three characters in every Pac-12 contest: two teams and one officiating crew. I'll let you decide who the MAIN character is most weeks. When I watch a game the first reaction to any play is "was there a flag?" Now I notice they throw flags, talk it over, and frequently wave off the call. Yeah, when in doubt, call a foul and then vote on it. Good grief. Could someone please tell these guys they aren't stars, co-stars, or even credited actors in the show. They're only supposed to be bit players that help move the story along!
Officiating was bad. I don't get it. I was near the 5 yard line. Saw the line judge make the mistake. He was not in good position. It should have been re-spotted. Weird that replay missed it. I've been in the replay command center. It's not perfect.
If technology can get the location of a pitch going 100mph within a centimeter, you’d think they’d have something by now to spot a football accurately.
You’re wrong on one thing, John. From what I saw, Dillingham flew out of Corvallis at the end of the third quarter. And took Tosh with him. (Those were mannequins on the Oregon sideline.)
LOLing... good one.
I'm not panicking and still like the Lanning hire. That said I surprised at the hubris displayed against UW and OSU which, IMO, cost the Ducks both games. Agreed Coach is a high-integrity guy who can recruit like a witch- and I think he has better coaching chops than Taggart or Cristobal. Losing Dillingham isn't the end of the world. Me, I'm more concerned about the DC. Can we get an upgrade there?
Agree with most you said, except I think Cristobal may be best recruiter in country. And he brought the recruiting program caliber from Alabama to UO.
Is it too much to ask of any coach not to go for it on 4th down in your own territory with the lead twice?
It’s honestly hard to watch when it’s happening.
His complete disregard for situational football and field position, as well as the momentum created or lost, is really really not good
At this moment, I think Washington would be the team to give USC a challenge.
Sort of agree. They'd score and score and score.
Would be a fun game, but we might lose 72-56... difference being a couple interceptions, which Penix has done 2x in red zone vs both WSU and Oregon. Still can't believe we are 10-2 with no D.
They would be 12-0 and headed for the championship series if they had a decent defense. I'm sure DeBoer is well aware of that fact and will address it.
OK, I just can’t with this. First of all, rich donor dude, maybe wait until the end of the game before buying your luxury box?!?!? 😂
3 weeks ago, Lanning is a God-send. Now he’s a mistake? The guy is great and he’s 10+ years younger than me. The win-now mentality is why UO hasn’t had a solid heir to Mariota other than Herbert’s accidental ascendancy after Prukop face-planted. 3 transfer QBs instead of homegrown dudes.
Also, I’d like to point out that UO went with the old hands in Taggart and Cristobal. Gone, both of them, in short order. They hired Lanning, who is *invested in the community* and is likely here for awhile. He’s already good and will likely get better.
Look, I get the donors and boosters want ROI, but this is a public school. Mullins answers to the taxpayers, not them, and any loss of revenue is HIS problem, not theirs. They’re free to donate less money or find another school that will take their cash, but they otherwise are just another influential voice AT the table.
It’s just football, y’all. They lost a game they shouldn’t have lost, just as they did in the Alamo Bowl. They recovered then, they’ll recover now.
Expectations are tough. Lanning is the right hire.
I fully agree. I just wish the donors would chill. All due respect to Phil Knight and others like him, they're boosters, not coaches or athletic administration, and UO is a public school. If they were in admin or the Oregon State Legislature, they'd make the calls. They didn't choose to pursue those career paths. And that's fine! But they need to know their roles, and those roles are as influencers and nothing else. They can vote with their wallets, if they choose to do so, or they're free to try to throw their money around at UP or Stanford, if they so choose. If not, they can focus on whatever they think is important and take their lumps at UO, if they arrive.
Bad coaching decisions are a thing. Lanning will learn...or he won't...and his career will advance based on those learnings.
We want a coach not a YMCA leader
Cuz that’s what you got this year 🙄
John ,
As a former Pop Warner coach, Lanning’s play calling , particularly on 4th and 1, violated standard Football play calling strategy; As we say in the military , Lanning is a “Loose Cannon”, who can destroy his own team....he has not learned patience in his young years as a defensive minded coach....it’s going to be painful to watch him learn now as a HC, at the expense of future wins and UO bowl selections . Right now he is a “handicap” for the Ducks !
Rand W.
Commander, USCG ( Ret.)
OSU ‘67 GiantKiller Alumn
It was a tough one.
a modern day George Custer.
I still think too much was said of the play calling, and not enough of Ducks defense allowing the Beavs to run down the field 3 straight possessions Not once did they try to force them to pass
That too. Good point.
Agree Thom. While I loved the OSU play calling and going back to the run in the 2nd half, why is no one talking about UO’s defense? All I’m seeing in the comments is the failed 4th and 1 play, but is anyone questioning the UO’s D coordinator not being able to adjust? Blame Lanning all you want but Duck fans shouldn’t give their D coordinator a free pass. Certainly a satisfying win by my “little brother” Beavs. We outplayed and out coached the big brother yesterday. Classic.
Wonder how long before someone comes knocking on Jonathon's doors
I think most Duck fans know Lupoi is an A+ recruiter and a D- or F coordinator.
I’m not a duck fan at all but to blame the head coach sucks. Maybe they need to give him a chance to grow his own program one year is just his start!! Ducks act like spoiled brats didn’t get their way now they want to take their blanket and go home 🙈. Go beaver 🦫
Agree, he needs time. 9-3 is a good start.